Published: Sept. 30, 2024
Epic Games is back in court, filing a new antitrust lawsuit against Google and Samsung. This follows Epic's earlier victory against Google, where it challenged the tech giant's app store monopoly. The latest lawsuit alleges that Google and Samsung are colluding to block third-party app stores from being installed on Samsung devices.
Central to the complaint is Samsung's "Auto Blocker" feature, which is pre-activated on new phones and prevents users from installing apps unless they come from "authorized sources" — specifically, Google and Samsung’s own app stores. Epic claims there’s no way for competing app stores to gain this "authorized" status.
Epic launched its own mobile app store on Android and iPhones in the EU earlier this year, but alleges that Samsung's Auto Blocker complicates the installation of its store. They claim it now requires a cumbersome process to bypass the feature, which they say discourages users from attempting to install third-party apps.
Epic's CEO, Tim Sweeney, argues that Auto Blocker is not designed to protect users from malware but rather to stifle competition. He acknowledged that while he lacks direct proof of collusion between Google and Samsung, he hopes the legal discovery process will reveal more.
Sweeney attempted to engage with Samsung to adjust the Auto Blocker settings or create a transparent whitelisting process for apps. When discussions stalled, Epic moved to file a lawsuit, sharing a draft of their complaint with Samsung beforehand.
Samsung, in response, has not yet confirmed whether Auto Blocker scans apps for security threats or whether it collaborated with Google on this feature. The company has pointed out that users can turn off Auto Blocker during the initial setup of their devices.
Epic is seeking a jury trial and aims to use this lawsuit to deter any further anti-competitive tactics from Google and its partners. Sweeney mentioned that they are closely monitoring other companies that might create barriers for third-party app stores, although Samsung is currently the only one doing so.
As the legal battles continue, the outcome of Epic's prior case against Google may influence how this new lawsuit unfolds.
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